Shelter from the Storm
a/n This group of stories is about Ranger and his daughters. It is not about his relationship with Stephanie, or intended to be a romance. R & S stories are in "A Random Life". If you do not want to read about Zoe and sometimes Julie, don't read the stories here. Or if you do. pls don't whine. Thank you.
I ll be posting a couple sappy R & S at Xmas fics this week, one here, one on my blog, so check them out later in the week? And I posted a Lester oneshot fic on my blog a week or two ago if you missed it.
love
s
51 ~ Naughty or Nice
I'm makin' a LIST!
I'm checkin' it TWICE
Cos everyone knows
I'm naughty and nice.
Santa Zoë's comin' To! Town.
... ... ...
Ranger
It was a grey afternoon in Trenton. Tank and I had just taken down Hardon Washington, then rounded out our somewhat crappy day with a confrontation at the TPD. The skip tried to run, slipped on the fog-wet steps of the derelict house he was hiding in. He rolled down the cracked cement steps right up to Tank's, ah, boots. Feet. I have no clue how the guy's nose got bloody, nor did I care, until Morelli met us with an attitude and accusations.
The police chief finally had to step in. Then he walked me and Tank out to my truck, patted my shoulder and apologized. "Joe's under a lot of pressure these days...you know he moonlights at Pirelli's Bar and Grille? Valet parking? "
Tank and I both stared at the chief, who spluttered, "Well you know, all those kids, bad economy...floods? Needs the tips, I guess.''
"He's a volcano ready to blow, Jack."
Jack Shapiro, TPD's new chief of police, patted my shoulder again, He said, "Merry Christmas," and was gone.
... ... ...
I sees you when you're sleepy.
I knows if you're a fake.
The incredibly loud, incredibly awful singing was emanating from my office when Tank and I stepped into the comm room. The men on duty hid their smiles and concentrated desperately on their monitors.
I kinda think that you've been BAD!
Omigosh, for goodness snakes!
Ooooh, you better watch Mouse
Ya better not fly...
You better be GOOD!
I'ma tellin' you why!
So I'm good for goodness sakes.
Oooh...
Behind me Tank let out a muffled curse. Or he was laughing. "Don't say a word.," I told him.
"Nope, not a word, boss." He mimed zipping his lips to hide his grin.
"Daddy! Daddydaddydaddy. There you are!"
"Hey baby."
"Come see! Lookit!" Zoë grabbed my hand and towed me into my office. My desk looked pristine, the sofa was properly bare. And the floor looked like the Sunday Times ad supplement had exploded on it. In the center of the mess was Zoë's pink iPad, a yellow legal pad, her iPhone. Target, ToysRUs, Wal-Mart flyers.
"You do remember we are going Christmas shopping tomorrow, don't you, daddy?" Zoë is an equal opportunity daughter and ever since I took Julie Christmas shopping last year Zoë has been begging for a shopping trip of her own.
I toed the mess. And saw Bloomingdale's, Saks, Cartier and Tiffany catalogs. [Cartier? She's six...). And, "Look, daddy, this one is the best!"
She brandished the Neiman Marcus Wish List catalog in my direction.
"I made a list!"
That was yesterday...
...
still Ranger
Today we're headed to The Mall at Short Hills. Monster is driving, Dave is riding shotgun. My daughter's security detail is oddly weighted towards Eastern European gunmen of a war criminal bent. Don't ask, it wasn't my fault.
Be that as it may, their presence leaves me free to discuss the Christmas list with Zoë. But before that can happen the infamous pink phone plays the theme from Twilight and Monster, Dave and I cringe. When Zoë answers, my niece Izabelle, aka Izzy, appears on the tiny screen. Zoë puts the call on speaker and we hear:
''All I want for Christmas is my two front teef, my two front teef.
All I want for Christmas is my two front teef, so I can wif you Mewwy ChwissMiss!''
I notice that Izzy has a pretty sweet voice, and that she is lisping. Izzy's face fills the screen, gets larger, larger...and then she grins.
''Eeeew!" we exclaim. "No teeth!"
''Aiiieee. Izzy has no teeth, daddy! Izzy! Where is your teeth?'' Zoë yells at the phone. From the corner of my eye I see Dave make the anti-vampire crossed fingers gesture then he spits on the the car mat. Monster, who is not Catholic makes the sign of the cross.
The girls go off on a complicated girly riff and I tune them out. Ten miles and forty Christmas shopping traffic minutes later I tune back in. Zoë's hand is patting my knee. She whispers, "Daddy! Will that happen to me? Will I be icky?!" Her eyes fill with tears.
Sigh. "Izzy isn't icky, she is just growing up. And yes, you'll lose your teeth and get big girl teeth."
''No!''
''Yes.''
''Dragon, is daddy telling fibs?''
''Huh, what?'' Dave, always the perfect if somewhat frightening bodyguard, wasn't listening.
Monster was. He met Zoë's eyes in the rearview mirror and he told her, "You'll always be beautiful, Miss Zoë. Even with no teeth."
''Huh.''
Silence. Traffic.
"So, daddy, do you think Macy's sells teeth?"
God, I hope not.
...
quite a few hours later
"Look, daddy! This is what I am getting for Miranda and Sophie and Phoebe and Emma-Elizabeth. Is it not so very pretty!"
Who knew that even this far off outpost of the famed Tiffany's could produce something so tacky? Hello Kitty necklaces...one inch tall Hello Kitty figures encrusted with pink pave' diamonds and sapphire accents, set in platinum. Green, I hope those aren't emeralds, eyes. By now Zoë has dragged me [us] inside, much to the dismay of the security guard at the door. But a salesman bustles up and says, "May I help you?"
''Yes, please. I would like one, two...three, four, five...five Kitty necklaces. Gift wrapped please."
Joy spreads across the man's face. He smiles down at my daughter.
"No! Wait." Yes, I look like an idiot, I know, shut up. "Zoë, let's ask the price first."
The man spreads one of the necklaces on a black velvet pad. I flip over the tiny tag. Gag.
$2300.00 each.
I say, ''No thank you," take Zoë's hand and lead her out to the food court. We sit down at a little table. Minster and Dave sit at a table nearby. Moms with strollers and wailing brats begin packing up in a hurry.
Zoë drags her eyes away from the mass exodus and refocuses on me. "That was bad, daddy. What were you thinking?"
"Uh..."
''These are my very bestest friends, daddy. I love them.''
"Okay, here's the thing, sweetheart. It is not a good thing to give very expensive gifts when the friend you're giving the gift to can't reciprocate." I look to see if she understands reciprocate, and she nods. Zoë is precocious. "Instead of the gift making the person happy, it makes them feel bad. And you want your friends to feel good, right?"
Zoë considers this. "The Hello Kitties were too expensive?"
''Yes."
''But daddy, mommy always tells stories about how you gave her cars and stuff, before I got born...and how the cars cost a lot. Does a car cost more than a Hello Kitty?" I nod. "So did that make mommy feel bad?"
"Zoë, she needed a car. That was different. It was work."
''She says usually it was a Porsche.''
''And your point is?''
''I don't have a point, daddy, I'm only six.''
''Okay. So...we make a budget. You chose presents for under ten dollars, for your six best friends. That's it."
''What about Izzy's teeth?''
''Santa has teeth covered, not a problem.''
"Huh. Ten dollars..?" Zoë gets busy on her iPhone. "Does that mean I can't get Joey a Super Ballistic, Mega-Death Nerf H-Strike Elite Retaliator Blaster gun?"
Joey was her self-appointed boyfriend, one of Joe Morelli's offspring. I considered suggesting a case of condoms, the boy is a Morelli, after all. But he is actually a nice boy...and only seven or eight.
"How much is it?''
"$19.95, daddy! I have a coupon!"
"Nope, sorry. And probably his mom doesn't allow guns anyway, Zoë.''
''Huh. This is hard, daddy. I have to think a LOT! You know what? After lunch we'll look for mommy's present while I am thinking."
''Okay.''
''You have a budget?''
... ... ...
later
epilog
We came home exhausted but triumphant, with six sets of Ultimate Fashionista Barbie Closet, $11.99 each, buy one get one half price. Making them come out to $9.99 each, with an extra for poor toothless Izzy. Zoë figured that out herself. And a Hot Wheels Porsche Cayenne for Joey. Also box of chocolate snowmen for Izzy, some convoluted idea about eating and no teeth? A giant tin of peppermint stick chocolate bark for Mommy.
We ordered three dozen black t-shirts for the guys that say:
I Survived Hurricane Sandy
And also for Stephanie, a platinum charm bracelet with tiny pave diamond handcuffs, a tiny black enameled platinum Porsche 911 charm, and a diamond heart that says 4-ever...
Merry Christmas.
a/n: the bracelet is for Harmne! And the first fan fic I fell in love with...r
a/n 2 I chose The Mall at Short Hills because it has the very upscale shops, including Tiffany and Cartier, Prada, etc. The toys are real, including the BOGO Barbie Closet, from Target.